Wednesday, 9 January 2013

The empire strikes back - Tory does Labour's dirty work

When you go into public life, one pre-requisite is a thick skin. When you make stupid decisions in public life, that thick skin is essential.

The current Labour-Tory-independent administration running Wrecsam Council will need to develop an awfully thick skin if the previous week's events are anything to go by.

First they met behind closed doors to approve a higher incremental scale for the most senior officers - at a time when the other 99% are facing pay freezes and redundancy. Anyone questioning the secret deal is met with thin-skinned criticism and accused of being "mischievous". An FOI request for the report is refused on the grounds that the matter is confidential, despite a requirement under the Localism Act to publish the top salary at the council.

It emerges eventually that the new pay scale will allow for an £8,000 a year rise for the chief executive. It is backed by the ruling Labour, Tory and Democratic Independent Group (DIG) coalition.

But ongoing criticism of both decisions by opposition councillors - including Plaid Cymru's Arfon Jones and independent group leader Dave Bithell - stirs the thin-skinned empire into responding. Apparently, according to the Tory lead member of the cabinet, critics are "cowards"for daring to question backroom deals. The real cowardice is using a Tory to front up a Labour group decision.

The thin-skinned empire patently can't handle any criticism and now chooses to lash out at both councillors and reporters who Twitter accounts of meetings. Never a good sign but that's what happens when you keep making stupid decisions that even your own group isn't happy with.

It's not been a great first six months for Wrecsam's new council, has it?

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Plaid Cymru Wrecsam

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